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UniMás’ Broadcast Of The MLS Cup Final Out-Delivers ESPN In Total Viewers Marking The First Time A Spanish Language Broadcast Of MLS Final Beats The English Broadcasthttp://tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com/network-press-releases/unimas-broadcast-of-the-mls-cup-final-out-delivers-espn-in-total-viewers-marking-the-first-time-a-spanish-language-broadcast-of-mls-final-beats-the-english-broadcast/
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via press release:

UNIMÁS’ BROADCAST OF THE MLS CUP FINAL OUT-DELIVERS ESPN IN TOTAL VIEWERS MARKING THE FIRST TIME A SPANISH LANGUAGE BROADCAST OF MLS FINAL BEATS THE ENGLISH BROADCAST

MLS Full Season on UniMás Delivers More Viewers than Both ESPN2 and NBC Sports Network

UniMás’ broadcast of the MLS Cup Final which aired from 4 p.m. to 7:29 p.m. on Saturday, December 7, delivered an average of 514,000 Total Viewers and 245,000 Adults 18-49, out-delivering ESPN’s coverage of the same match by +14% with Total Viewers and by +7% with Adults 18-49.

UniMás’ broadcasts of the Major League Soccer’s (MLS) 2013 regular season delivered more viewers than both ESPN2 and NBCSN.

UniMás aired 23 MLS regular season games which delivered an average of 223,000 Total Viewers and 121,000 Adults 18-49, outperforming ESPN2 and NBCSN’s broadcast of regular season games. ESPN2 delivered an average of 181,000 Total Viewers and 96,000 Adults 18-49 and NBCSN delivered an average of 104,000 Total Viewers and 55,000 Adults 18-49, respectively.

ESPN’s 18th season of televising Major League Soccer will conclude with the live presentation of MLS Cup 2013 on Saturday, Dec. 7, at 4 p.m. ET, when Sporting KC hosts Real Salt Lake at Sporting Park in Kansas City, Kan. Commentator Adrian Healey, analyst Taylor Twellman and reporter Mónica Gónzalez will call the action with host Max Bretos, Alexi Lalas, Kasey Keller and Alejandro Moreno providing studio coverage from site. Additionally, the match will be available on WatchESPN and ESPN Deportes Radio.

On Friday, Dec. 6, ESPN will provide live reports on editions of SportsCenter and ESPN FC and feature analysis from Twellman, Lalas and Keller, who will be pulling double-duty with MLS Cup and the FIFA World Cup Draw show (airing at 11:30 a.m.).

MLS Cup will feature players in contention for FIFA World Cup spots including Sporting KC’s Matt Besler and Graham Zusi and Real Salt Lake’s Kyle Beckerman and Nick Rimando. The two teams have made a combined five MLS Cup appearances (SKC 3, RSL 2), with Real Salt Lake having won its first – and only — title in 2009. Each club boasts finalists for MLS’ end-of-year awards including: Besler (defender), Rimando (goalkeeper) and Jason Kreis (Real Salt Lake, coach).

MLS Cup 2013 TV highlights:

· On-site studio set with Bretos, Lalas, Keller and Moreno;

· A Don Garber conversation – MLS commissioner Don Garber will be interviewed on the ESPN set at halftime;

ESPN Deportes Radio will provide live coverage of MLS Cup 2013 on Saturday, Dec. 7, beginning at 3 p.m. ET with a one-hour pre-match program, followed by the game at 4 p.m. Soccer experts Kenneth Garay (play-by-play) and Elmer Polanco (analysis) will call the match from Sporting Park. Diego Cora will report pitch-side.

ESPN FC

· Wednesday, Dec. 4 (5:30 p.m., ESPN2) — Omar Gonzalez (LA Galaxy, USMNT) will be in the Bristol studios to discuss MLS Cup and the USMNT, and Alexi Lalas will be on set;

· Jeff Carlisle will report from Kansas City on Wednesday, Dec. 4, through game day. His work will include an interview with MLS commissioner Don Garber, player-focused pieces and a preview of the match;

ESPN International will televise MLS Cup 2013 on ESPN networks in 59 countries and territories covering more than 22 million television homes, including coverage in Australia, Brazil, the Caribbean, Central America, Mexico, New Zealand and South America.

Richard Mendez and Giovanni Savarese will call the game for ESPN International networks in Spanish.

Stamford, Conn. – November 19, 2013 – NBCSN presents the second leg of the 2013 Major League Soccer Eastern Conference Championship between the Houston Dynamo and Sporting Kansas City on Saturday at 7:30 p.m. ET (series tied 0-0). The team that scores the most goals on Saturday advances to MLS Cup to play either Real Salt Lake or Portland Timbers.

The second-seeded Sporting KC host the fourth-seeded Dynamo after a scoreless draw in the first leg of the Eastern Conference Championship. The Houston Dynamo have defeated Sporting KC in the playoffs the last two post-seasons.

COMMENTATORS: NBC Sports Group’s lead MLS announcer John Strong will call Sporting KC-Houston. Strong will be joined by analyst and former U.S. Men’s National Team midfielder Kyle Martino and host Russ Thaler.

NBC SPORTS LIVE EXTRA

NBC Sports Live Extra — NBC Sports Group’s live streaming product for desktops, mobile devices, and tablets — will stream NBCSN’s Eastern Conference Championship coverage. NBCSN coverage will be available via “TV Everywhere,” the media industry’s effort to make quality content available to authenticated customers both in and out of the home and on multiple platforms.

For desktops, NBC Sports Live Extra can be accessed at NBCSports.com/liveextra. The NBC Sports Live Extra app for mobile devices and tablets is available at the App Store for iPhone, iPad and iPod touch, and on select Android handset and tablet devices within Google Play.

Coverage airing on NBC will live stream to PCs, mobile devices and tablets through NBC Sports Live Extra. NBCSN will live stream to PCs, mobile devices and tablets through NBC Sports Live Extra, and to the digital platforms of participating cable, satellite, and telco services, via “TV Everywhere,” which is available on an authenticated basis to subscribers of participating MVPDs.

About NBC Sports Group’s Soccer Coverage

NBC Sports Group’s networks and platforms are leading destinations for soccer fans in the U.S. Its soccer portfolio includes Major League Soccer (MLS), U.S. Men’s and Women’s National Team matches, the men’s and women’s Olympic soccer tournaments, and the Premier League. NBCUniversal, via the NBC Sports Group, is the home for all 380 Premier League matches, as well as comprehensive shoulder programming. NBCUniversal’s Telemundo and mun2 also provide comprehensive Spanish-language soccer coverage. Both channels will air Premier League matches, as well as serve as the U.S. Spanish-language home for the FIFA World Cup from 2015 through 2022. Online, ProSoccerTalk on NBCSports.com provides comprehensive coverage of the sport, from the Premier League to MLS to the U.S. National Team and other key international soccer stories.

Stamford, Conn. – November 7, 2013 – NBC Sports Group’s MLS Cup Playoffs coverage continues with the first leg of the Eastern Conference Championship between the Houston Dynamo and Sporting Kansas City Saturday at 2:30 p.m. ET on NBC.

The fourth-seeded Dynamo, fresh off an upset of the top-seeded New York Red Bulls, host second-seeded Sporting KC at BBVA Compass Stadium in Houston, Texas. The Houston Dynamo have defeated Sporting KC in the playoffs the last two post-seasons.

The Conference Championships are a two-game series with home-and-away games and an aggregate-goal format. The team that scores the most goals in the home-and-away series advances to MLS Cup.

In addition, NBC will present the U.S. Women’s National Team v. Brazil on Sunday at 3:30 p.m. ET in the final match of the U.S. Women’s 2013 schedule. The top-ranked U.S. team host the fourth-ranked South American champion Brazil at the Florida Citrus Bowl in Orlando, Fla. Prior meetings between the two teams in the 2004 and 2008 Olympic gold medal matches, both of which ended with U.S. game-winning headers in overtime.

COMMENTATORS: NBC Sports Group’s lead play-by-play announcer Arlo White will call NBC’s MLS Cup Playoff coverage on Saturday and will be joined by former U.S. Men’s National Team midfielder and former Kyle Martino and host Russ Thaler. Play-by-play announcer John Strong will call the U.S. Women’s National Team match with analyst KateMarkgraf and host Russ Thaler.

Stamford, Conn. – November 5, 2013 – NBC Sports Group’s MLS Cup Playoffs coverage continues with the second leg of the Western Conference Semifinals between the Portland Timbers and Seattle Sounders Thursday at 11 p.m. ET on NBCSN.

The top-seeded Western Conference Portland Timbers host the three-time Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup Champions Seattle Sounders FC at Jeld-Wen Field in Portland, Ore. The Timbers lead the two-game series after a 2-1 win over the rival Sounders in the first leg of the semifinals. It was the Timbers’ first-ever MLS Cup Playoff game.

The Conference Semifinals are a two-game series with home-and-away games and an aggregate-goal format. The team that scores the most goals in the home-and-away series advances to the Conference Finals.

COMMENTATORS: NBC Sports Group’s lead soccer play-by-play announcer Arlo White will call Portland-Seattle on Thursday. White will be joined by former U.S. Men’s National Team midfielder and analyst Kyle Martino and host Russ Thaler.

NBC SPORTS LIVE EXTRA

NBC Sports Live Extra — NBC Sports Group’s live streaming product for desktops, mobile devices, and tablets — will stream NBCSN’s coverage of Portland v. Seattle coverage will be available via “TV Everywhere,” the media industry’s effort to make quality content available to authenticated customers both in and out of the home and on multiple platforms.

For desktops, NBC Sports Live Extra can be accessed at NBCSports.com/liveextra. The NBC Sports Live Extra app for mobile devices and tablets is available at the App Store for iPhone, iPad and iPod touch, and on select Android handset and tablet devices within Google Play.

NBCSN will live stream to PCs, mobile devices and tablets through NBC Sports Live Extra, and to the digital platforms of participating cable, satellite, and telco services, via “TV Everywhere,” which is available on an authenticated basis to subscribers of participating MVPDs.

About NBC Sports Group’s Soccer Coverage

NBC Sports Group’s networks and platforms are leading destinations for soccer fans in the U.S. Its soccer portfolio includes Major League Soccer (MLS), U.S. Men’s and Women’s National Team matches, the men’s and women’s Olympic soccer tournaments, and the Premier League. NBCUniversal, via the NBC Sports Group, is the home for all 380 Premier League matches, as well as comprehensive shoulder programming. NBCUniversal’s Telemundo and mun2 also provide comprehensive Spanish-language soccer coverage. Both channels will air Premier League matches, as well as serve as the U.S. Spanish-language home for the FIFA World Cup from 2015 through 2022. Online, ProSoccerTalk on NBCSports.com provides comprehensive coverage of the sport, from the Premier League to MLS to the U.S. National Team and other key international soccer stories.

The ESPN networks – ESPN, ESPN2, ESPN Deportes and WatchESPN – will combine to air five matches from the MLS Cup Playoffs 2013, beginning Sunday, Nov. 3, at 9 p.m. ET – and concluding with the MLS Cup on Saturday, Dec. 7 – with a live presentation of the first leg of the Western Conference Semifinal series between Landon Donovan and the Los Angeles Galaxy and Nick Rimando and Real Salt Lake on ESPN and WatchESPN. Play-by-play commentator Adrian Healey, analyst Taylor Twellman and sideline reporter Monica Gonzalez will call the match with Alexi Lalas providing studio commentary from site.

ESPN FC, ESPN2’s daily soccer television studio news and information program, will cover the MLS Cup Playoffs including on-site analysis from every ESPN game with Twellman and Lalas. In addition, former MLS coaches Steve Nicol and Paul Mariner and former players Alejandro Moreno and Kasey Keller will provide analysis throughout the playoffs. ESPN FC airs weekdays at 5:30 p.m. and Sundays at midnight (9 p.m. PT).

The Galaxy are the two-time defending MLS champions, and have the opportunity to make history, as no team has won three straight MLS Cup titles. Real Salt Lake is making its sixth consecutive playoff appearance, the longest active streak in the league.

NBC SPORTS GROUP TO AIR THREE MLS CUP PLAYOFF CONFERENCE SEMIFINAL MATCHES THIS WEEKEND

NBCSN to Air Doubleheader Saturday Featuring New England Revolution v. Sporting Kansas City at 8 p.m. ET, Followed by Seattle or Colorado v. Portland at 10 p.m. ET

NBC to Air Eastern Conference Semifinal Game Sunday as the New York Red Bulls Face Houston or Montreal at 3:30 p.m. ET

Stamford, Conn. – October 30, 2013 – NBC Sports Group presents three MLS Cup Playoff Conference Semifinal matches this weekend. Conference Semifinals coverage begins Saturday on NBCSN at 8 p.m. ET as the New England Revolution host Sporting Kansas City in the first game of a two-game series, followed by the Portland Timbers traveling to face the winner of the Western Conference Knockout Round (Seattle Sounders FC or Colorado Rapids) at 10 p.m. ET. Coverage continues on NBC Sunday at 3:30 p.m. ET when the New York Red Bulls take on the winner of the Eastern Conference Knockout Round (Houston Dynamo or Montreal Impact).

The Conference Semifinals are a two-game series with home-and-away games and an aggregate-goal format. The team that scores the most goals in the home-and-away series advances to the Conference Finals.

COMMENTATORS: NBC Sports Group’s lead soccer play-by-play announcer Arlo White will call NBCSN’s second match on Saturday and NBC’s match on Sunday. White will be joined by former U.S. Men’s National Team midfielder and analyst Kyle Martino and host Russ Thaler.

For the New England Revolution-Sporting Kansas City match, NBCSN will simulcast the local feed from ComcastSportsNet New England, an NBC Sports Regional Network. The Revolution-Sporting KC game is subject to local blackouts.

NBC SPORTS GROUP’S MLS CUP PLAYOFF COVERAGE THIS WEEK:

Date

Time (ET)

Home v. Away

Network

Wed., Oct. 30

10:30 p.m.

Seattle v. Colorado

NBCSN

Thurs., Oct. 31

8:30 p.m.

Houston v. Montreal

NBCSN

Sat., Nov. 2

8 p.m.

New England v. Kansas City

NBCSN

Sat., Nov. 2

10 p.m.

Seattle OR Colorado v. Portland

NBCSN

Sun., Nov. 3

3:30 p.m.

Houston OR Montreal v. New York

NBC

NBC SPORTS LIVE EXTRA

NBC Sports Live Extra — NBC Sports Group’s live streaming product for desktops, mobile devices, and tablets — will stream NBCSN’s coverage of Seattle or Colorado v. Portland and NBC’s coverage of Houston or Montreal v. New York. NBCSN coverage will be available via “TV Everywhere,” the media industry’s effort to make quality content available to authenticated customers both in and out of the home and on multiple platforms.

For desktops, NBC Sports Live Extra can be accessed at NBCSports.com/liveextra. The NBC Sports Live Extra app for mobile devices and tablets is available at the App Store for iPhone, iPad and iPod touch, and on select Android handset and tablet devices within Google Play.

Coverage airing on NBC will live stream to PCs, mobile devices and tablets through NBC Sports Live Extra. NBCSN will live stream to PCs, mobile devices and tablets through NBC Sports Live Extra, and to the digital platforms of participating cable, satellite, and telco services, via “TV Everywhere,” which is available on an authenticated basis to subscribers of participating MVPDs.

About NBC Sports Group’s Soccer Coverage

NBC Sports Group’s networks and platforms are leading destinations for soccer fans in the U.S. Its soccer portfolio includes Major League Soccer (MLS), U.S. Men’s and Women’s National Team matches, the men’s and women’s Olympic soccer tournaments, and the Premier League. NBCUniversal, via the NBC Sports Group, is the home for all 380 Premier League matches, as well as comprehensive shoulder programming. NBCUniversal’s Telemundo and mun2 also provide comprehensive Spanish-language soccer coverage. Both channels will air Premier League matches, as well as serve as the U.S. Spanish-language home for the FIFA World Cup from 2015 through 2022. Online, ProSoccerTalk on NBCSports.com provides comprehensive coverage of the sport, from the Premier League to MLS to the U.S. National Team and other key international soccer stories.

NBCSN ADDS NATIONAL TELECASTS FOR MLS CUP PLAYOFFS “KNOCKOUT ROUND”

Stamford, Conn. – October 29, 2013 – NBCSN will provide national TV exposure for two MLS Cup Playoff matches with the Western and Eastern Conference Knockout Round. On Wednesday at 10:30 p.m. ET on NBCSN, Clint Dempsey and the Seattle Sounders FC host the Colorado Rapids, and on Thursday at 8:30 p.m. ET on NBCSN, the Montreal Impact visit the Houston Dynamo. The Knockout Round matches are single-game playoffs with the winners advancing to the Conference Semifinals.

The Seattle Sounders FC host the two-time Conference champions Colorado Rapids at CenturyLink Field in Seattle, Wash. Sounders forward Dempsey takes the field after scoring his first MLS goal of the season last weekend against the LA Galaxy. Rapids goalkeeper Clint Irwin will look to extend his regular-season success after finishing with 10 clean sheets in 32 games. The winner of the Western Conference Knockout Round will face the Portland Timbers in the Western Conference Semifinals.

HOUSTON DYNAMO V. MONTREAL IMPACT, THURSDAY, 8:30 P.M. ET ON NBCSN

The two-time MLS Cup champions and four-time Eastern Conference champions Houston Dynamo come off a victory against D.C. United and face the Montreal Impact at BBVA Compass Stadium in Houston, Texas. The Dynamo look to return to the MLS Cup Championship for the third consecutive year. The winner of the match will face the New York Red Bulls in the Eastern Conference Semifinals.

For the Knockout Round, NBCSN will simulcast local feeds from NBC affiliate KONG-TV in Seattle for the Sounders-Rapids match and CSN-Houston for the Dynamo-Impact game. The Knockout Round matches on NBCSN are subject to local blackouts.

About NBC Sports Group’s Soccer Coverage

NBC Sports Group’s networks and platforms are leading destinations for soccer fans in the U.S. Its soccer portfolio includes Major League Soccer (MLS), U.S. Men’s and Women’s National Team matches, the men’s and women’s Olympic soccer tournaments, and the Premier League. NBCUniversal, via the NBC Sports Group, is the home for all 380 Premier League matches, as well as comprehensive shoulder programming. NBCUniversal’s Telemundo and mun2 also provide comprehensive Spanish-language soccer coverage. Both channels will air Premier League matches, as well as serve as the U.S. Spanish-language home for the FIFA World Cup from 2015 through 2022. Online, ProSoccerTalk on NBCSports.com provides comprehensive coverage of the sport, from the Premier League to MLS to the U.S. National Team and other key international soccer stories.

David Beckham’s Last Competitive Match with Los Angeles Galaxy; SportsCenter Conversation with Beckham

ESPN’s 17th season of televising Major League Soccer action will conclude with the live presentation of MLS Cup 2012 featuring three of the league’s best known stars – David Beckham, Landon Donovan and Robbie Keane – leading the Los Angeles Galaxy vs. Houston Dynamo, led by Brad Davis, on Saturday, Dec. 1, at 4:30 p.m. ET, from The Home Depot Center in Carson, Calif. The match will also be available on WatchESPN.

MLS Cup will be David Beckham’s last competitive match with the Los Angeles Galaxy. The former England National Team captain joined MLS and the Galaxy in July 2007. He will try to go out on top for the third time after leading Manchester United and Real Madrid FC to league titles in his final seasons in England and Spain, respectively. Beckham sat down this week for a one-on-one interview with ESPN’s Julie Foudy that will air on several editions of SportsCenter, beginning Thursday, Nov. 29, at 9 a.m.

Other MLS Cup 2012 Storylines:

MLS Cup 2012 is a rematch of last year’s Cup in a 1-0 Galaxy victory over the Houston Dynamo;

The Dynamo and the Galaxy are two of four Major League Soccer (MLS) teams with multiple championships;

Los Angeles, in its record eighth MLS Cup, is seeking to be the second team with four MLS titles (joining DC United) and the third team to win consecutive MLS Cups (DC in 1996 and 1997; and Houston in 2006 and 2007);

Alexi Lalas was Galaxy president and GM when Beckham arrived at the club from Real Madrid in 2007 – the first move by AEG (Galaxy’s parent company) to turn the Galaxy into what Lalas calls the “SuperClub;”

ESPN’s lead match analyst Taylor Twellman, in his first MLS Cup TV booth role, was a leading MLS striker in the 2000s. Twellman and the New England Revolution played in the MLS Cup four times (2002, 2005, 2006 and 2007) – losing two times each to the Galaxy and Dynamo;

Los Angeles Galaxy head coach Bruce Arena is seeking his fourth title after becoming the only manager in the MLS to win three championships last year;

Houston Dynamo head coach Dominic Kinnear will join Arena with his third title if Houston wins on Sunday.

A David Beckham conversation – The former England captain and one of the most-popular stars in soccer sat down this week for an in-depth interview with ESPN’s Julie Foudy. Excerpts from the conversation will air pre-game;

ESPN Deportes Radio will provide live coverage of MLS Cup 2012 on Saturday, Dec. 1, beginning at 4 p.m. ET with a one-hour pre-match program. Soccer experts Jorge Ramos (play-by-play) andHernan Pereyra (analysis) will call the match from the Home Depot Center in Carson, Calif. Elmer Polanco and Noe Vasquez will report pitch-side. Ramos and Pereyra will kick off coverage on Friday, Nov. 30, with a special Jorge Ramos y Su Banda live show from the stadium at 4 p.m.

SportsCenter

On Thursday, Nov. 29, beginning with the 9 a.m. – 12 p.m. ET edition, SportsCenter will air a conversation with David Beckham – the former England National Team captain’s first extensive, one-on-one television interview since he announced last week that Saturday’s MLS Cup will be his last competitive match with the Los Angeles Galaxy. The interview was conducted by ESPN’s Julie Foudy, former U.S. Women’s National Team Captain and two-time FIFA Women’s World Cup and Olympic Gold winner.

Beginning Friday, Nov. 30, at 6 p.m., through kickoff on Saturday, Dec. 1, all editions of ESPN’s flagship news program SportsCenter (ESPN and ESPNEWS) will feature MLS Cup 2012 segments – matchup previews, interviews with key players, et al – including reports and analysis from Carson, Calif., by booth commentators Healey and Twellman, as well as contributions by the studio team of Bretos, Lalas, Keller and Moreno.

ESPNFC Press Pass (ESPNEWS, weekdays at 2 a.m. ET overnight): The ESPN international soccer debate and opinion program will feature a special MLS Cup edition on Friday. International versions of the program will also air on ESPN International networks across several regions.

ESPN Deportes’ NACION ESPN, Spanish-language specific version of SportsNation,and Cronometro, the Spanish-language version of Around the Horn, will feature MLS Cup 2012 branded segments.

ESPN International

ESPN International will televise MLS Cup 2012 on ESPN networks in 120 countries and territories covering more than 47.8 million television homes including coverage Africa, Australia, Brazil, the Caribbean, Central America, Mexico, Middle East, New Zealand, South America and the United Kingdom. The will also be simulcast on ESPN’s international broadband platforms in the U.S., Australia, Brazil and Latin America.

ESPNFC Press Pass Special – “Beckham’s Goodbye to Hollywood” (ESPN UK, Friday at 10 p.m. GMT): ESPN UK will air a one-hour special examining the midfielder’s six years with the Los Angeles Galaxy. Adrian Healey will host with former New England Revolution manager Steve Nicol, and guest appearances by Twellman, Lalas, and others. (The special will also air in more than 100 countries);

ESPNFC.com soccer writers Jeff Carlisle and Roger Bennett will anchor the site’s coverage featuring key MLS Cup 2012 stories, including match previews, player profiles, matchup analysis and “Cover it Live” during the MLS Cup match. The digital service will also provide users with highlights and analysis, using the Match HQ as the definitive digital destination for the live event.

NEW YORK – January 5, 2012 –The NBC Sports Group today announced its plans for the 2012 MLS season, the first under the new three-year media rights partnership, by offering live coverage of 41 regular season matches, the most of any MLS broadcast partner, in addition to five MLS Cup playoff games.

NBC begins its live MLS coverage on Sunday, March 11 when FC Dallas host the New York Red Bulls on the new NBC Sports Network, which will air a total of 38 regular-season games this year. The defending MLS Cup champion LA Galaxy make seven appearances on NBC Sports Network, including a rematch of MLS Cup against the Houston Dynamo on May 26. The LA Galaxy’s first appearance is March 31 as they host the New England Revolution. MLS Cup runners-up Houston Dynamo also appear seven times including the unveiling of their new stadium, BBVA Compass Stadium, on May 12 as they host D.C. United.

NBC will broadcast three regular-season games: Portland Timbers vs. Seattle Sounders FC on Sept. 15, New York vs. Chicago Fire on Oct. 6, and Philadelphia Union vs. New York Red Bulls on Oct. 27 – the first game of a tripleheader on the last Saturday of the regular season that includes Chicago Fire vs. D.C. United and Portland Timbers vs. San Jose Earthquakes on NBC Sports Network. The three matches this season on NBC are the most regular-season MLS games on an English-language broadcast network since 2002.

Highlights of 2012 NBC Sports Group MLS Schedule:

NBC Sports Group broadcasts 41 games, most of any MLS broadcast partner in 2012;
Three games on NBC are the most regular-season MLS games on an English-language broadcast network since 2002;
Rematch of MLS Cup on May 26 – Houston Dynamo vs. LA Galaxy on NBC Sports Network;
Seven games featuring MLS Cup champions LA Galaxy;
Opening of BBVA Compass Stadium, the new home of the Houston Dynamo, on May 12 on NBC Sports Network.
NBC SPORTS GROUP 2012 MLS SCHEDULE:

Date Away Home Network

Sun. Mar. 11 New York, Dallas 3:00 PM NBCSN

Sun. Mar. 18 Colorado, Philadelphia 4:00 PM NBCSN

Fri. Mar. 23 Houston, Seattle 10:00 PM NBCSN

Fri. Mar. 30 Dallas D.C., United 7:30 PM NBCSN

Sat. Mar. 31 New England, LA Galaxy 11:00 PM NBCSN

Sat. Apr. 14 Columbus, Philadelphia 3:30 PM NBCSN

Sat. Apr. 21 Chicago, Toronto 3:30 PM NBCSN

Sat. Apr. 28 New England, New York 3:30 PM NBCSN

Sat. May 5 Philadelphia, Seattle 4:00 PM NBCSN

Sat. May 12 D.C. United, Houston 4:30 PM NBCSN

Sat. May 26 LA Galaxy, Houston 2:30 PM NBCSN

Sun. May 27 San Jose, Sporting KC 4:30 PM NBCSN

Sun. June 17 New York, Chicago 5:00 PM NBCSN

Sun. June 24 D.C. United, New York 7:00 PM NBCSN

Fri. June 29 Chicago, Sporting KC 8:00 PM NBCSN

Sat. July 7 Colorado, Seattle 11:00 PM NBCSN

Sat. July 14 LA Galaxy, Portland 11:00 PM NBCSN

Wed. July 18 Real Salt Lake, Seattle 11:00 PM NBCSN

Sat. July 28 LA Galaxy, Dallas 8:00 PM NBCSN

Sun. July 29 New England, Philadelphia 7:00 PM NBCSN

Fri. Aug. 3 New York, Houston 8:00 PM NBCSN

Sun. Aug. 5 Dallas, Portland 7:00 PM NBCSN

Fri. Aug. 10 Houston, New York 8:00 PM NBCSN

Wed. Aug. 15 LA Galaxy, Columbus 7:00 PM NBCSN

Sun. Aug. 19 Philadelphia, D.C. United 5:00 PM NBCSN

Fri. Aug. 24 Real Salt Lake, Philadelphia 7:30 PM NBCSN

Sun. Aug. 26 Dallas, LA Galaxy 7:00 PM NBCSN

Fri. Aug. 31 Colorado, Portland 10:30 PM NBCSN

Sun. Sept. 2 Chivas USA, San Jose 9:00 PM NBCSN

Wed. Sept. 5 Portland, Colorado 9:00 PM NBCSN

Fri. Sept. 14 Houston, Sporting KC 8:30 PM NBCSN

Sat. Sept. 15 Seattle, Portland 3:30 PM NBC

Sat. Sept. 22 Portland, Real Salt Lake 8:00 PM NBCSN

Fri. Sept. 28 Chicago, Sporting KC 8:30 PM NBCSN

Sat. Sept. 29 Seattle, Vancouver 9:00 PM NBCSN

Sat. Oct. 6 Chicago, New York 3:30 PM NBC

Sat. Oct. 6 Real Salt Lake, LA Galaxy 9:00 PM NBCSN

Sat. Oct. 20 Philadelphia, Houston 7:30 PM NBCSN

Sat. Oct. 27 New York, Philadelphia 1:30 PM NBC

Sat. Oct. 27 D.C. United, Chicago 4:00 PM NBCSN

Sat. Oct. 27 San Jose, Portland 6:30 PM NBCSN

All games on NBC and NBC Sports Network will consist of pre-game and post-game coverage. The NBC Sports Group will expand upon the successful NBC SportsTalk platform with a Pro SoccerTalk blog that will start with MLS season.

Along with already-established MLS partnerships with five Comcast SportsNets (California, Chicago, Mid-Atlantic, New England and Philadelphia), this new media rights partnership provides the league with coverage across the NBC Sports Group’s unique four-tier portfolio of assets: broadcast network, national cable, regional sports networks and digital.

MLS Cup 2011 on ESPN HD and ESPN3

ESPN will conclude its coverage of Major League Soccer’s 16th season with MLS Cup 2011 featuring David Beckham, Landon Donovan and the Los Angeles Galaxy vs. Houston Dynamo, led by striker Brian Ching, on Sunday, Nov. 20, at 9 p.m. ET, live from The Home Depot Center in Carson, Calif. The match will also be available on ESPN3 and ESPN Mobile TV.

MLS Cup 2011 Storylines:

Sunday’s MLS Cup 2011 winner will be the second franchise to win three MLS titles. The other club is DC United which has won four MLS Cup trophies (1996, 1997, 1999 and 2004);

Beckham’s last stand – With an MLS Cup victory in the fifth and final year of his MLS contract, soccer iconDavid Beckham, 36, would win a league title in his last seasons with the three clubs he has played for – Manchester United (2001) and Real Madrid (2007);

ESPN’s lead studio analyst Alexi Lalas was Los Angeles Galaxy’s president and GM when David Beckham arrived at the club from Real Madrid in 2007 – the first move by AEG (Galaxy’s parent company) to turn the Galaxy into what Lalas calls the “Super Club;”

Los Angeles Galaxy dominated the league’s 2011 end-of-season awards: MLS Coach of the Year (Bruce Arena); four players in the league’s Best XI; MLS Comeback Player of the Year (Beckham); and MLS Defender of the Year (Omar Gonzalez);

The MLS Cup 2011-winning coach – Arena (Galaxy) or Dominic Kinnear (Dynamo) – will be the first to win three MLS titles. Arena, former U.S. Men’s National Team manager, would be the second coach to win a title with two different MLS franchises after his first two (1996 and 1997) with DC United.

ESPNdeportesLA.com will feature a one-on-one interview with MLS Commissioner Don Garber (Thursday), “Countdown to the MLS Cup” previews, “Hot Button” on David Beckham’s future with the Los Angeles Galaxy, “Cover it Live,” Post-game reactions from the locker rooms, and video-based “Voice of the MLS Fan” segments.

ESPN International

ESPN International will televise MLS Cup 2011 in 129 countries and territories covering more than 56 million television homes including Africa, Australia, Brazil, Canada, the Caribbean, Israel, Latin America, Mexico, the Middle East, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom.